Take A Chance On Me
by PlayTheGame
Summary: At her family's annual Christmas Party, Stephanie McMahon meets somebody who gives her hope that maybe just maybe, there might be a chance for her after all. One week later, it's New Year's Eve and she finds herself looking at a familiar face. Is he worth the risk and can her heart take the chance? HHH/Steph AU


**A/N - I got there in the end, eh? No idea how long this is going to be. It was originally meant to be like a 3 or 4 parter or something but I sense potential here lol. We'll see what happens. Enjoy and Merry belated Christmas and Happy belated New Year!**

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"_Rockin' around, the Christmas tree….."_

Stephanie McMahon absently hummed the popular holiday tune, sipping occasionally from the glass of wine dangling from her manicured fingers. The smell of cranberry, cinnamon and spice was in the air while classic song after classic song belted out from the DJ's speakers, entertaining the guests and keeping the atmosphere alive. The annual McMahon Christmas party was in full swing and despite her best efforts; Stephanie had to admit that she quite possibly could be enjoying herself. Because a few hours ago the thought of attending a Christmas party and acting like her life was a happy Christmas movie was the last thing in the world she wanted to do. As a matter of fact, Christmas was quickly becoming one of her least favourite times of the year. And the worst part about it all is that she wanted to enjoy the season. She wanted to get caught up in the magic but every year she came home for the holidays and every year she came alone. Her mother was starting to worry that she'd never find a man. Lately she was starting to believe her.

A loose sigh escaped her ruby red lips and Stephanie drained her glass, instantly searching for somewhere to top up. She purposefully avoided the sight of the happy couples around her and equally avoided the sight of any single male in the vicinity. She was so not in the mood for any guy's crap tonight but more than anything else, if her mother caught her talking to anything resembling a man she would be over in a flash and no doubt find some way to humiliate her in front of whoever the poor soul might be. Nope. That couldn't happen. She'd much rather just get quietly drunk, preferably alone, and then pass out upstairs when the night was over. Hell, she couldn't even be bothered hanging around her family either. Not like they missed her right now. Her already half drunk father was no doubt regaling those in his circle of tales from the good old days. Stephanie grinned at his animated form. Her father was a character that was for sure. She also loved him to pieces and couldn't wait to spend some time with him tomorrow without the burden of hosting a party between them. While the great Vince McMahon entertained his guests, Stephanie caught her mother watching him with a smile on her face from across the room. She melted just a tiny bit and dreamed of the day somebody would look at her like that. Her parents didn't have a perfect marriage but they loved each other dearly and that's all that mattered. It was more than she ever had.

A long time ago she had gave her heart to somebody only for him to crush it. Since that day she'd been too busy, too cynical and too afraid to let it happen again. That's why she turned up alone every year, because she never let anybody get close enough to warrant meeting her family. Stephanie almost snorted into her newly refilled glass at how pathetic she sounded. God she was a mess. Talk about wallowing in your own self pity. Well, she was the queen of wallowing in her own self pity. It was her favourite sport.

"It's a party, Steph. You're not allowed to look so…..so…..shitty."

Stephanie made a face at her brother as he stood beside her and started refilling his glass of eggnog. "Thanks, Shane. That really made me feel less _shitty_."

Shane McMahon half smiled at her response and slung a friendly arm around her shoulder. "Come on, Steph. You don't really feel shitty do you? I know you didn't want to come but it's been great so far. Dad is so fucking drunk it's hilarious. He's telling everybody about the time he crashed the bike and is exaggerating everything to holy hell. You'd swear he broke every bone in his body."

"I don't feel shitty. I'm fine, really and I am somewhat enjoying myself if you must know." Stephanie leaned into his embrace and enjoyed his affectionate little squeeze of her shoulder.

"Somewhat?"

"Yes, somewhat. Don't worry though, once I get this glass down me I'm sure I'll be enjoying it a hell of a lot more." With her words, she took a big gulp of wine and grinned at her brother wickedly.

Shane simply groaned and stepped away from her. "You can turn into a right pain when you're drunk. God we gotta keep you away from dad. The two of you are a fucking terror when you're drunk together." His tone was partially serious but his eyes sparkled in amusement. His sister and father were so much alike it was scary. Get some alcohol in them and they became wholly unpredictable. It drove their mother nuts.

"What are you two laughing at?"

The McMahon children looked to the owner of the voice and were pleased to discover it was Shane's wife, Marissa. She stepped next to her husband and stole a sip of his eggnog.

"Dad's already drunk and Steph thinks she'll be joining him pretty soon."

"I guess we all better be on our guard then," Marissa joked, not needing an explanation. Her husband's family walked a little on the wild side but she wouldn't have them any other way.

Stephanie couldn't hide her grin. "You guys act like we murder people or something."

"I think it's more the 'or something' that we're worried about," Marissa replied, then laughed at the muttered 'whatever' she received in response.

"_IIIIII don't want a lot for Christmas…..there is just one thing I need….I don't care about the presents….."_

The infamous Mariah Carey song blared over the speakers, drawing a high pitched cheer from many of the ladies in the room and filling the dance floor immediately. Stephanie saw the excited glint in her sister in law's eyes. The horrified look on Shane's face was priceless and she smiled evilly. "I think Riss would like you to dance with her, Shane?"

"Oh I don't think so….."

"I'd _love_ you to dance with me, honey. Come on!"

Stephanie chuckled at the little wink flipped her direction before the two of them disappeared into the crowded throng of people dancing like idiots in the centre of the room. She watched them for a few seconds, almost in a distracted trance, before snapping out of it and making for the large bay window overlooking the front of the McMahon estate. It was truly beautiful outside with the snow still falling. The exterior of the house was lit up with decorations and the coloured lights glinted off the stark white ground.

"Excuse me."

She was so preoccupied with staring out the window that the sound of the deep voice startled her. Stephanie jumped slightly and turned to come face to face with a man she didn't recognize, a very beautiful man at that. He was tall and must be at least six foot two. His blond hair was cut short on the sides but sat a little thicker on top, like a buzz-cut only much nicer, especially on him. His eyes were an incredible shade of chocolate brown and she suddenly found herself short of breath just from looking at him. His lips were framed by a neat beard that ran along his jaw and covered his cheeks, running into his hair but slightly darker in colour. She had absolutely no idea who the hell this guy was but she'd be damned if he wasn't the most attractive thing she'd seen in a long time. But he _was_ a man and unfortunately she had promised herself she wouldn't be bothered with his kind tonight. "Look, if you're here to hit on me just hurry up and say whatever silly line you've cooked up so I can reject you and we can get this over with, okay?"

The man looked at her strangely and an awkward silence descended around them. All of a sudden Stephanie felt like a complete and utter moron. From the look on his face this guy _clearly_ hadn't come over here to hit on her and probably thought she was some shallow bimbo now. His strange expression slowly morphed into a little grin, his wonderful chocolate eyes starting to twinkle in amusement and she wanted the ground to just open and swallow her up. He was laughing at her.

"I assume you'll be offended to know that I'm actually here to see your brother then."

His tone was teasing and Stephanie didn't know whether to be happy at the fact that he wasn't upset or annoyed that a total stranger was making fun of her. Or was he? Maybe he _was_ here to see her brother? To see her brother? Why would he be here to do that? Oh God, she inwardly cried as it suddenly hit her…

"You're gay!"

"What?"

Stephanie instantly covered her mouth, absolutely appalled at her diarrhoea of the mouth. When the man started laughing it only served to humiliate and bother her even more.

"I'll tell ya, Shane said you were a spitfire but I never imagined this. First you vainly assume I'm here to hit on you and then you call me gay. My, my, you McMahon's sure know how to throw a party."

"I'm so sorry," Stephanie mumbled in embarrassment. Her blue eyes lifted from the ground and were surprised to find him firstly, still standing there and secondly, smiling at her almost warmly.

"It's fine," the man let out a small chuckle at the absurdity of the situation while extending his hand. "I'm Paul by the way. I swung by to deliver some documents to your brother. I'm sure you'll be glad to know that I wasn't trying to hit on you and no, I'm not gay. I mean, Shane's pretty hot and all but I know he's married so…."

Stephanie shook his hand and grinned back. "I'm Stephanie and I'm absolutely mortified at everything I have said to you in the past couple of minutes."

Paul enjoyed the little shrug of her shoulders and cute, crooked smile that tugged at her lips. He had never met her before tonight but had spotted Shane talking to her right when he arrived a few minutes ago. Before he had a chance to reach them, Shane had taken off with the other woman next to them. Paul had just intended to ask Stephanie if she could get Shane for him when he was instantly struck by how not only familiar she looked, but how absolutely stunning too. There was no doubt in his mind that this was Shane's sister and he wasn't wrong. The way she had thoroughly humiliated herself in front of him was limitlessly amusing right now and he decided right then and there that he liked her. "Not everybody can make such an engaging first impression. It's quite the talent."

"It's the wine." She jiggled the glass in front of her face and looked away as she felt herself getting sucked into his gaze. "So…Paul…what do you need to see, Shane for? Some documents?" This Paul guy was here to deliver documents at a Christmas party. Stephanie's intrigued blue eyes took in his appearance as her mind started to form an opinion. Here to deliver documents, wearing a suit, a very nice grey suit with a white shirt and pink tie as a matter of fact but definitely more of a 'work' type of suit than a party suit. He had obviously come straight from the office or clearly had no life.

He felt her taking him in and hoped she liked what she saw. She wasn't the McMahon he had come here looking for tonight but he was most definitely happy that he had bumped into her like this. "Yeah. I just need to hand these over and then I can partake in the festivities."

His smile made his eyes crinkle in the corner and Stephanie quickly determined that she loved the way his face lit up when he smiled. It was lovely.

"But I wasn't about to interrupt him while he's out there dancing with his wife so I thought I'd come over here and ask you to give them to him since I saw you guys talking. Now that I know who are, I guess you can take these off my hands."

Stephanie took the small stack of papers into her free hand and absently perused the contents. "What the hell are these things anyway?" And more importantly, why the hell did he have to deliver them now? At least she was able to control her mouth and not rudely blurt out her thoughts this time.

"I can tell you aren't impressed by me conducting business at a party but I'm just following your brother's orders." Paul lightly shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "They're contracts. Shane needs them for first thing Monday morning and we didn't want to take any chances so I delivered them personally. Hopefully that can offset whatever horrible image of me you've dreamed up in your head."

She'd be scared at his apparent ability to read her mind if she wasn't still so taken with his smile. "That's…..thank you. I'll make sure he gets them."

A strange but comfortable silence descended.

"And I don't have a horrible image of you in my head."

Paul was intrigued to hear what she had to say after that remark. He cocked his head to the side. "No?"

"No." Stephanie shook her head, enjoying the sly smile tugging at his lips. "I was just questioning your workaholic tendencies based on the presumption that you were only here to deliver contracts….on a Friday night…at a party. That's all."

"Is that all?"

"It's not actually. But you don't get to hear that part."

Stephanie spun on her heel and walked away, ridiculously pleased with how smooth she had been and also at her ability to walk away from him. She glanced a peek over her shoulder and smirked at the way he was just standing there grinning after her. For a brief second she reconsidered her 'no man' rule for tonight. After all, it wasn't like he was some drunk, self absorbed idiot only looking to get in her pants. This guy knew her brother and something about the way his eyes crinkled in the corner the way they did, his expression was warm, his smile genuine. It made her want to go back and talk to him. But she couldn't. "I'll make sure Shane gets these," she called over her shoulder just before she bumped into the man himself.

"Make sure I get what?" Shane quizzed his sister, his eyes teasing until he noticed the stack of papers in her hand and realised what they were. He instantly looked around for the man he knew was coming to deliver them and let out a hearty guffaw when he spotted him standing just a few feet away. "Paul! Why the hell didn't you message through I would have met you out the front, man?"

"There was no need. Besides, I thoroughly enjoyed finding you myself." Paul cast a sideways glance in Stephanie's direction and bit back his smile at the blush that began to stain her cheeks.

The little interplay between the two wasn't lost on Shane and he smirked, motioning between them with his hand. "I take it you met my sister, then? Paul Levesque, this is my sister, Stephanie. Steph, this is my lawyer, Paul."

"We met already, yeah…." Stephanie trailed off. A lawyer? He sure as hell didn't look like a lawyer. In fact, he was far too gorgeous to be involved in such a boring profession.

"Great! Paul, won't you join us for a drink? I know my dad's been eager to meet the man who tore the Turner's a new ass after that ridiculous lawsuit they filed against us. Come on, he's just over here." Shane patted the other man on the shoulder and started guiding him in the direction of his father. "Ladies, we'll catch up with you in a bit."

"Ugh," Melissa rolled her eyes. "A damn Christmas party and he still finds a way to talk business. I guess I can't really blame him this time I mean, Paul did kind of save Shane's ass with that lawsuit."

Stephanie tried not to sound as interested as she was. "What do you mean?"

"You know that whole thing that happened a month or so back? I'm not even sure of the inns and outs of it. Shane wouldn't tell me the whole story to be honest and truthfully, I'm still a bit worried about what exactly happened. He swears it's nothing illegal though and I believe him. The company was getting creamed…."

"Is this when dad was getting really worried?"

"Yes. They fired their current legal team, hired a new firm, in comes Paul and suddenly it all goes away. Shane's practically been his best friend ever since."

Stephanie swirled the story around in her head. Obviously something had happened that neither her brother nor her father were willing to talk about. Whatever it was, so long as they were both okay she didn't really care. She made the decision a long time ago not to work for the family business. It had nothing to do with her any more. So long as her family wasn't in trouble, she didn't want to know. A sudden and loud laugh boomed around the room and Stephanie couldn't help but chuckle at the sound. Her dad couldn't be quiet if he was getting paid. Her blue eyes looked to the front of the room but weren't focused on the notable figure of Vince McMahon. Instead they had been drawn to the tall man standing next to him, quietly sipping his scotch, a half smile on his face. As if he knew she had been watching him, Paul's eyes met with her across the room, his half smile turning full and expression gentle as they locked gazes. Rather than look away, Stephanie felt compelled to hold his stare, his infectious little grin too hard to resist. She smiled back, completely entranced until her brother said something to him and he looked away. Well…that had been interesting to say the least. She had known this man for about thirty minutes and could already feel some sort of connection between them.

"You okay there?" Marissa teased. Her sister-in-law obviously hadn't realised she had gone silent for so long or that she had been staring, no, _gawking_, at their mysterious guest. From what Marissa had seen Mr. Levesque didn't seem to mind too much either. She had caught them staring at each other from across the room and bit back her laughter. Just last week Stephanie had been swearing up and down that she was on a man fast or whatever the hell she had called it. Now she was making goo goo eyes at some guy she barely knew. There definitely seemed to be a spark between them however, a spark that Marissa suddenly decided she wanted to see grow into a flame. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Stephanie needed to put herself out there again. Maybe Paul would be the guy to get her out of this stupid self imposed rut. "Steph?"

"Huh? I'm fine, yeah. Hey, you want a top up?"

"Sure." Marissa passed her empty glass over and watched as Stephanie headed towards the bar located at the left of the room. She chanced a glance towards the right, where her husband was holding court and speaking about something to the group of men in his acquaintance, and smirked at what she saw; because one man in the group didn't seem to be paying much attention at all. Instead his eyes had wandered once again to the woman at the other side of the room currently talking to the hired bartender for the evening. Marissa squeezed her hands excitedly. In her mind, this party just got a whole hell of a lot more interesting.


End file.
